1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a control panel assembly for a washing machine, by which a user could control an operation of the washing machine.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a washing machine is a representative home appliance for removing filth or dirt attached to a laundry using a reaction between water and detergent. A control panel 30, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided to a front side or topside of the washing machine to enable a user to operate the corresponding washing machine. The control panel 30 according to a related art is explained in detail by referring to FIG. 1 as follows.
Referring to FIG. 1, a case 10 of a washing machine 1 consists of a base plate 11, a wall 12, a front cover 13, and a top plate 14. The wall 12 is provided on the base plate 11 to form both lateral sides and rear side of the case 10. The front cover 13 is provided in front of the wall 12 to form a front side of the case 10. The top plate 14 is provided above the wall 12 to form a topside of the case 10. And, a door 15 is provided to the front cover 13.
A space is provided between an upper part of the front cover 13 and the top plate 14 to load a control panel 30 therein. And, a front panel 20, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided between the upper part of the front cover 13 and the top plate 14 to be attached to a front side of the wall 12. Thus, a multitude of apertures 21 and 13a are provided to a front side of the front panel 20 and a topside of the front cover 13, respectively to fix the control panel 30 thereto.
Meanwhile, a multitude of hooks 31, as shown in FIG. 1, protrude from an upper part of a rear side of the control panel 30 to confront a multitude of the apertures 21 of the front panel 20, respectively. A multitude of extensions 32, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, are provided to a bottom side of the control panel 30 to confront a multitude of the apertures 13a of the front cover 13, respectively.
In assembling the control panel 30 to the washing machine 1, the extension 32 at the bottom side of the control panel 30, as shown in FIG. 2, is preferentially inserted in the corresponding aperture 13a of the front cover 13. The control panel 30, as shown in FIG. 2, is then turned centering on the extension 32 so that the hook 31 at the upper part of the control panel 30 is inserted in the corresponding aperture 21 of the front panel 20. Thus, the control panel 30, as shown in FIG. 3, is fixed thereto by the corresponding hook 31 and extension 32. After the control panel 30 has been assembled to the washing machine 1, the top plate 14, as shown in FIG. 2, is assembled to the washing machine 1.
However, in the course of assembling the control panel 30, the hook 31 is easily damaged and it takes a considerable time to complete the corresponding assembly. The reason is explained as follows. As mentioned in the foregoing description, the hook 311 is fitted in the corresponding aperture 21 of the front panel 20 when the control panel 30 is turned. Hence, it is unable to insert the hook 31 in the corresponding aperture 21 in a horizontal direction. Instead, the hook is 31 pressed downward a little bit to be fitted in the corresponding aperture 21, whereby the hook 31 is easily broken in the course of being pressed. Besides, a multitude of the hooks 31 should be simultaneously pressed for the corresponding assembly, whereby it takes a considerable time to assemble the control panel 30 to the washing machine 1.